Put This In Your Mouth: Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale

By Team LAD

Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale + Cigar City Brewing Co in Tampa, FL. Good lord! Or should we say good gourd, this ale is flourishing with pumpkin spice flavor and it even has an authentic orange color when poured into a glass. This drink bursts with yummy pumpkin spices including Ceylon cinnamon, Jamaican all-spice, Zanzibar cloves and nutmeg.

According to John Holl, author of “The American Craft Beer Cookbook”:

"In a state known for theme parks, Cigar City Brewing has become a major attraction for those who appreciate and seek out excellent beer. It opened with a flourish and spread its reach quickly, appealing to both hardened beer geeks and brew novices with eyebrow-raising flavors and commitment to quality.

"Capitalizing on the Latin culture and tobacco-manufacturing history of Tampa Bay, Cigar City highlights those strengths on its labels and in its beer names and recipes. Many of the beers it produces – Jai Alai IPA, Improv Oatmeal Rye India-Style Brown Ale, Cubano-Style Espresso Brown Ale – reflect the sensibilities and ingredients of Florida."

Cigar City Brewing is currently a two-man operation with head brewer Wayne Wambles and Joey Redner. Wambles is a craft brewer that has been involved in the business of beer production for the over 10 years commercially. Before joining the Cigar City Brewing startup, Wambles was brewing for Foothills Brewing Company in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, an award winning brewpub/micro. Prior to opening Cigar City Brewing, Redner was and still writes a beer column for the St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay Times.